'Seconds save lives': Regina Fire implementing new automated dispatch system

Regina Fire and Protective Services (RFPS) has implemented a new automated dispatch system.

“We’ve replaced our station alerting systems,” said Chief Layne Jackson. “It comes with a lot of new modern techniques and technologies to it.”

“One of them is an automated voice,” he added.

The new dispatcher is called ‘Zoe.’

It’s a part of a federal government mandate called “Next Generation 9-1-1.”

According to the Government of Canada’s website, NG9-1-1 will make it possible to provide additional details about emergency situations.

For example, in the future, Canadians could send a video of an accident, as well as make medical information available to first responders. This will lead to safer, faster and more informed emergency responses.

RFPS says the new system will integrate those technologies into their trucks and several monitors are placed in fire halls with maps highlighting scenes.

“When a call comes in, the map will pin where the location is,” explained Assistant Chief of Technical Services Trevor Reiman. “An operator will come here, look at the board and know exactly where to go."

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While the voice on the radio is automated, human dispatchers are still the ones inputting information.

A human will still answer the 9-1-1 call and can dispatch crews to the scene using Zoe while remaining on the call.

“The automated system takes care of that initial dispatch,” Jackson said “It allows dispatchers to spend a little more time on the phone and gather important information to relay to crews.”

While most residents will never hear her voice, they may still feel Zoe’s impact.

Jackson says the automated dispatch improves RFPS’ response time by seconds.

Adding in an emergency situation, every second counts.

“Seconds save lives,” he said. “Anything we can do to improve our response times by using our resources and taking advantage of existing technologies is a win, win.”

RFPS hopes to have Next Generation 9-1-1 fully online in 2025.